There are various factors that can lead to the development of addiction. In many cases, poor family relationships are a common trigger for the emergence of different addictive behaviors. The first patterns of behavior are adopted within the family, and if the foundations for the development of a healthy child’s personality, one that can resist pressure and face life’s challenges, are not established there, the risk of developing an addiction increases.
The Association for Addiction Prevention NARKO-NE has recognized the importance of quality family relationships as a key protective factor in preventing addiction. This is why the association implements the Strong Families program, aimed at improving family skills, empowering parents/guardians to be more successful in their roles, and strengthening positive interactions among family members.
Training for new program facilitators was held in Sarajevo at the Austria & Bosnia Hotel from June 19 to 21, 2024. The training brought together professionals from various institutions working with children and families, providing participants with the opportunity to learn about the program and how to implement it. The training was led by Alma Hadžiskakić, a program prevention specialist at NARKO-NE, and Andrea Mijatović, Deputy Executive Director of NARKO-NE. They shared their knowledge and, through various methods, familiarized participants with the program and its implementation.
The main expectations of the participants were to learn new knowledge that they could apply in their future work. To find out if their expectations were met and their impressions after the training, we spoke with three participants:
This program is very important to us so that we know how to cope with everyday challenges and stress because we are already working on these topics. When we discussed how to find families to work with, it wasn’t difficult because this program is so needed; it just hadn’t been implemented before. We expect positive feedback from the families we work with. – Adna Žujo, Project Associate for Family Strengthening, SOS Children’s Villages BiH in Mostar.
I primarily put myself in the role of a mother because I am aware of the risks every community faces now, and I think this program is very important. I hope it will be useful to mothers in our local communities. – Velida Čelebić, Mualima, Medžlis Islamic Community of Kakanj.
What motivated me to apply for this training was the very name ‘Strong Families’ because we are all witnesses that we live in a time with many challenges and risks, and that it is actually the family that represents the foundation and strength for the future of all of us. Seeing all this, and the content of the program, we wanted to empower ourselves as individuals so that we can transfer that knowledge to our communities.– Almira Sarvan, President of the Parent Network Association in Zenica.
The program’s results so far have shown significant positive changes in both parents and children, with over 140 families having participated in the program in the Sarajevo Canton and the Municipality of Kakanj.
We are happy that 32 more people were trained during this session, who will be able to lead the program. This gives us hope that a greater number of families will be able to participate in the program, thereby contributing to a healthier and better environment for everyone.
Anisa Čelik Raščić
